Camden National Bank Underwrites Free Public Opening at New Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland

Local community invited to check out the museum, free of charge, on opening day

ROCKLAND, Maine – June 14, 2016 – Camden National Bank is partnering with the Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) to host a free public opening for the community on Sunday, June 26th, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., following the official ribbon cutting and dedication. During this time, guests will be invited to explore the newly constructed 11,500-square-foot space at 21 Winter Street in Rockland and enjoy three inaugural solo exhibitions featuring the works of Jonathan Borofsky, Alex Katz and Rollin Leonard.

“This is an exciting time in the Midcoast as we all anxiously await the opening of the new CMCA, and we are proud to be able to offer the community the opportunity to see and enjoy the space on opening day,” said Greg Dufour, president and chief executive officer of Camden National Bank.

Designed by internationally-acclaimed architect Toshiko Mori and constructed by Cold Mountain Builders of Belfast, the new facility provides more than 5,500 square feet of gallery space for the presentation of work by contemporary artists and features three exhibition galleries, a gift shop, an ArtLab classroom, and a 2,200-square-foot courtyard. Surrounded entirely by glass on three sides, the museum is an extension of the surrounding streetscape and provides visitors the ability to enter the space without actually coming inside.

“We are honored to finally share our new building with the community and are very grateful to Camden National Bank for providing this free public opening for everyone,” said Suzette McAvoy, director of the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. “The unique design of this building offers a dramatic destination for visitors and will help us build upon and advance Maine’s exceptional legacy in American art. We look forward to welcoming everyone in to enjoy the museum and our three opening exhibitions – Jonathan Borofsky: Human Structures; Alex Katz: Small Paintings; and Rollin Leonard: Vernal Pond – which highlight three generations of artists and showcase the diversity and range of art in Maine today.”

The new building, with its expanded gallery space as well as its dedicated classroom and lecture hall/performance space, will allow CMCA to grow its exhibition and educational offerings, focus on the art of current and future generations, and continue to inspire and serve people of all demographics and ages.

Added McAvoy, “As an early and ongoing supporter of our ArtLab program, the bank has played a key role in helping people imagine what is possible through the power of creating art and has helped us establish it as a beloved and essential educational series for the Midcoast community. With our new classroom space, we will now have a dedicated area for ArtLab, allowing us the opportunity to do more with the program and expand the educational services we offer.”

About Camden National Bank

Camden National Bank is a full-service community bank that offers state-of-the-art online and mobile banking resources through a network of 63 branches and 85 ATMs in Maine, as well as lending offices in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Headquartered in Camden, Maine, the bank employs over 650 people who are dedicated to providing the best banking experience for customers every day. To learn more, visit www.CamdenNational.com. Member FDIC.